Return to the Sea
by HorrorFan6
Summary: Hiccup Haddock, chief of Berk, husband of the woman of his dreams, and father of a beautiful little girl, couldn't be happier with his life on land. But there is trouble brewing beneath the waves, and the former merman prince will have to return to the sea if he wants any chance of preventing a war that will undoubtedly destroy everything he loves. Sequel to "Out of the Sea."
1. Chapter 1: The World Above

**A/N: Wait! Before you read this, you should know that it's a sequel! So if you haven't read my HTTYD-** _ **Little Mermaid**_ **crossover** _ **Out of the Sea**_ **, then I recommend you go back and read that one first before starting on this. It will make things much clearer.**

 **That said, even though it's a sequel, it is NOT based on Disney's sequel to** _ **The Little Mermaid**_ **. It shares the same name, but the premise is entirely different, I promise. As such, I'm afraid it's not going to be a musical like the previous story was. I don't have any songs to fall back on like I did with** _ **Out of the Sea**_ **, so it's not going to have songs. That means the story might be a little shorter, but I think it will still work and I'm excited to continue working on it. I hope you enjoy it.**

 **HTTYD is owned by Cressida Cowell and DreamWorks SKG. And while this story isn't based on a preexisting source, its prequel _Out of the Sea_ was based on _The Little Mermaid_ , which is owned by Disney. **

**So without further ado, here's the first chapter!**

Chapter One

The World Above

"Daddy? Daddy, wake up! Come on, Daddy! You gotta wake up!"

Hiccup Haddock merely groaned and rolled over in bed, his eyes staying blissfully closed.

But sleep was going to be impossible. There were little hands shaking him vigorously, to say nothing of the sweet, if slightly shrill, voice that continued to say, "Daddy! Come on, Daddy, you promised!"

Hiccup sighed. "Please, Melody, just five more minutes?"

The little girl huffed, and then she backed off. Hiccup hummed quietly in relief, thinking he'd been granted a small reprieve.

He should have known better.

Next second a small body hurtled into the bed, landing squarely atop him where he lay. His eyes sprang open and he grunted in surprise and discomfort, turning to look up at the toothy grin of his three-year-old daughter. "Come on!" she trilled. "Let's go!"

Hiccup glared half-heartedly at her and sighed. "All right, all right, I'm up…" He sat up and stretched, yawning rather theatrically.

In the bed beside him, his young wife Astrid chuckled. "That'll teach you to keep her waiting," she remarked, winking playfully at the little girl.

"Yeah, yeah," Hiccup grumbled, standing up and heading over to his closet to retrieve his clothes. He glanced back over his shoulder at Melody and added, "Go on down, sweetheart. I'll be there in a moment."

"Okay!" Melody replied, hopping off the bed and retreating down the stairs to the house's main level, her shoulder-length auburn hair streaming out behind her.

When she was out of earshot, Astrid said, "I think she's excited."

"Gee, whatever gave that away?" Hiccup replied, pulling a fresh tunic over his head.

"Oh, just the fact that she's refusing to let you sleep in. Again." She smiled at him, and he rolled his eyes.

"What is the big deal about me sleeping? I like to sleep! Is that really so unusual?"

Astrid laughed and stood up, sauntering over to where he stood. "No, it's not. But most people do get up without too much hassle."

Hiccup shrugged but couldn't quite stop the corners of his mouth from quirking upward. "Okay, so I'm a little difficult to wake up in the morning. There are far worse things to be, don't you think?"

"Hmm," Astrid pretended to think for a moment. "Eh, you've got me there." She reached out and wrapped her arms around her husband. Smiling more fully now, Hiccup pulled her into a hug and kissed her. She leaned into his embrace and returned the kiss, though when they broke apart she teased, "You have dragon breath."

Hiccup chuckled. "Why thank you, milady. And your own breath doesn't smell all that great either."

His retort earned him a half-playful punch to the shoulder. He winced but, to his credit, didn't make a sound. "Careful, or I'll set Toothless on you," Astrid warned him.

They both looked over into the corner of the room, where the big black dragon was reclining on his rock bed, watching them with mild interest. His ear fins perked at the sound of his name.

"That ferocious beast?" Hiccup asked in mock-horror. "Oh no, anything but that!" He fell on his knees and pleaded, "My dearest, I'll do whatever you want! Name it, absolutely anything, just please don't set that dragon on— _oof!_ "

While his back was turned, Toothless bounded from his perch and tackled his human to the floor. Astrid laughed, leaning back against the wall. Hiccup twisted around as far as he could and glared up at the Night Fury. "Thank you, you useless reptile. Now please _get off!_ "

Toothless crooned and licked Hiccup's head, leaving a trail of slime through his messy hair. Hiccup grimaced. "Oh Toothless, no! Come on! You know that doesn't wash out!"

Toothless let out a warbling dragon laugh and backed off, letting his human stand up, running his hands through his hair in a vain attempt to wipe the worst of the saliva away.

Astrid was still laughing. "Having a hard time there?" she asked between gasps for breath.

Hiccup looked around at her, and then a sly grin crossed his face. "Not at all, milady," he replied. And then he lunged for her, grabbing her in his arms and running his wet head down the length of her side.

Astrid's eyes widened in shock and bewilderment, and then her face scrunched in disgust. "Ew! Ewww! Hiccup!" She wriggled out of his grasp, pulling her now-damp clothes away from her skin. "That's so gross!"

But now Hiccup was the one laughing, and she'd always found his laughter to be rather contagious. So she had a hard time maintaining her revolted, miffed expression, and in just a few seconds she was laughing with him. Toothless chortled too, adding his voice to the mix so that the house positively rang with the sound of their mirth.

"Come here, you," Hiccup said, drawing Astrid close for another kiss. Astrid's laughter died in her throat as his lips met hers, and in that moment she thought she'd be perfectly content to stay in his arms for a long, long time.

"Ewww!"

Hiccup and Astrid broke apart and looked around toward the entrance of the bedroom, where their daughter Melody stood, her face wrinkled up at their display of affection.

Hiccup chuckled. "You won't always think so, sweetheart."

Melody looked at him like he'd grown a second head. "Yes I will!" she insisted. "Kissing is so gross!"

Astrid laughed. "Go on, you two," she said, reluctantly extricating herself from her husband's arms. "Have fun. And be safe!"

"We will," Hiccup replied, heading for the door. Glancing back, he added, "When are we not safe?"

Astrid raised her eyebrows.

"Er…don't answer that," Hiccup said, grinning sheepishly.

Melody grabbed his hand and tugged impatiently, leading him down the stairs and out the front door. Toothless, ambling along behind them, crooned happily in anticipation, but Hiccup paid him no mind. He was gazing down at the village below, smiling faintly.

The Isle of Berk. A small island in the middle of the North Sea, home to a town of Vikings. And up until quite recently, it had been out of Hiccup's reach, for instead of legs he had possessed a fish's tail and a pair of fins. He was the son of Stoick the Vast, King of the underwater kingdom of Hyacinth, and he'd been a merman. For the first sixteen years of his life, he had swam beneath the waves, forever dreaming and yearning to learn about the world above. He'd had to keep his desire a secret, for his father hated humans and forbade his son from venturing anywhere near the creatures that had been responsible for his wife's death.

And then, on one of his covert trips to the surface, he had met Astrid Hofferson, the heiress of Berk. He had saved her life when the boat she was sailing on sank in a terrible storm, and as he sang to the barely-conscious girl on the shore he fell hopelessly in love with her. So he'd visited Excellinor, the evil Sea Witch, and traded his voice for legs with the condition that he had to win Astrid's heart in three days' time.

Of course, it hadn't been easy: he hadn't realized that Excellinor was secretly plotting to bring down his father and put her son Alvin on the throne in his place. They'd very nearly succeeded too, but through a combination of quick thinking and sheer luck, Hiccup and Astrid had destroyed the witch and her son. Stoick, seeing how much his son loved the human girl and realizing that his hatred was unfounded, allowed the prince to marry the heiress. Not long afterward, Hiccup had ascended to the role of Chief of Berk.

That was four years ago. Four years of peace and prosperity for the little island. Hiccup and Astrid worked together to lead the village, and everyone agreed that it had been a long time since they had been so fortunate.

And Hiccup had never been happier.

He looked over at Melody, watching as his three-year-old daughter scratched Toothless fondly under the chin. She was a perfect mixture of her parents: she had his green eyes and auburn hair, but her facial structure came from her mother. She had her father's sarcastic sense of humor and her mother's fierce bravery. She was sweet and kind and would never dream of harming another living creature. She had a thirst for knowledge and was surprisingly bright for her age. As he gazed at her, Hiccup felt his heart swell with joy. He hadn't known it was humanly possible to love a person as completely as he did his daughter.

Melody was still doting on Toothless, and the Night Fury purred happily and leaned into her hands, his eyes half-closed in bliss. Hiccup smiled at the sight. He had everything he could possibly want in life: a wonderful, loving wife; a beautiful, perfect daughter; a dragon who was his very best friend; a father who cared about him and visited every chance he got; the respect of his peers…yes, everything was pretty much perfect.

His musings were interrupted when Melody looked over at him and said, "Come on, Daddy! Let's go!"

Hiccup chuckled. "All right, sweetheart." He picked her up and sat her gently on Toothless' back. The dragon quivered excitedly but otherwise held still as the little girl situated herself, giggling with anticipation. Hiccup then climbed on behind her, wrapping one arm protectively around her. "You ready?"

Melody nodded excitedly. "Yeah!"

"Okay then," her father said, and then he tightened his legs against Toothless' sides and added, "Let's go, bud!"

Toothless needed no further persuasion. He spread his wings and launched into the air. Hiccup instinctively tightened his hold on Melody, but the little girl squealed with joy, her hair blowing back as they shot skyward. Toothless leveled off and dove, and Hiccup felt his heart rise into his throat. He couldn't contain a whoop of delight from bursting out of his chest. "This is fun!" Melody cried. "Faster!"

Toothless was only too happy to comply. He beat his wings harder, increasing his speed. He did not, however, do any of the aerial stunts he might have if Hiccup had been his only rider. He knew better than to try anything too dangerous with such a young passenger, for which Hiccup was immensely grateful.

After a while, Toothless leveled off, allowing Hiccup to relax his hold on Melody just slightly. Together they looked down at the village below, which was starting to wake up for a new day. Hiccup could barely make out the burly shape of Gobber making his way to the forge, his big blond mustache visible even from their height.

Melody sighed happily and leaned back into her father. Hiccup smiled. "It's beautiful, isn't it sweetheart?" he murmured.

"Mm-hmm," Melody agreed, nodding. "The sea is so pretty."

Hiccup followed her gaze out to the ocean surrounding the island, and his heart gave a small pang. Despite his happiness, he did sometimes miss his old home beneath the waves. Oh sure, his father, his sister Camicazi, and his best friend Fishlegs did visit from time to time, and Stoick had even changed him back into a merman a few times so that he could drop in for a few hours every once in a while. But still, there was something about waking up every morning in the palace that he kind of missed.

But he just smiled and held his daughter close. He had no regrets.

"It certainly is, Mel," he said softly, and then he bent over and kissed her on the head. "I love you, you know that, right?"

"Yep," Melody replied, twisting around slightly so that she could look up into her father's eyes. "And I love you too, Daddy."

There had been several times over the past few years when Hiccup had thought his heart might simply burst from too much joy. This was one of those times.

Toothless slowly banked around so that they faced the harbor, and all at once his ear fins went up, and his entire body stiffened. He let out a little bark to get Hiccup's attention. "What is it, bud?" he asked, leaning over slightly to follow his dragon's gaze.

At first he saw nothing out of the ordinary. The harbor was fairly empty, and nothing of interest was happening in the village as far as he could see. "Daddy?" Melody said nervously. "What's wrong?"

"I don't…"

He broke off, for he'd suddenly seen what Toothless had. His eyes moved away from the island and out toward the ocean.

Where an armada of ships was sailing, their destination obviously Berk.

"Come on, Toothless," Hiccup said. "I'm afraid we have to cut our flight short."

Toothless warbled and descended to the ground. The moment his paws thudded into the dirt, the young chief jumped from his back, pausing only to help Melody down. "Let's go, sweetheart," he said, trying to keep his voice light and unconcerned as he took his daughter's hand. "We have to tell Mommy that we have visitors."

 _Let's just hope they're friendly_ , he added silently.

He might as well have said it aloud, for Melody's face was drawn in worry. "Are they nice, Daddy?"

"Probably," Hiccup answered easily, opening the door of the house and ushering her inside. "But just to be safe, I want you to stay with your mother, okay?"

Melody nodded. He had to hand it to her, she was handling it very well. She was a little paler than usual, but her face was set in determination. He smiled and ruffled her hair fondly.

"Astrid?" he called as they entered the house, closing the door behind him. "We have company!"

Astrid poked her head out of the kitchen, her eyebrows raised. "Oh? Who is it?"

"I don't know," Hiccup replied, picking up a spyglass he'd made for looking at something from a great distance. "I'm going to take a closer look. Stay here with Melody, I'll be right back."

"Wait a second!" Astrid said, laughing a little as she stepped into the den. "Let me see. I might know them."

Hiccup hesitated, but he had to admit that she had a fair point. He'd only been human for four years and he still didn't know everyone in the Archipelago. The newcomers could very well be friendly, he supposed. So he nodded and handed her the spyglass, leading her back outside. "Wait here," he said to Melody, who nodded again in assent.

He and Astrid stepped out onto the hill, and Astrid raised the spyglass to her eye. "Wow," she remarked. "That's a lot of ships. Hmm…" She paused, and then she said, "Oh! I recognize the symbol on their sails! It's the Berserker Tribe."

"The Berserker Tribe?" Hiccup repeated uneasily. Just the name made him feel nervous.

"It's no big deal," Astrid said, lowering the spyglass and turning to face her husband. "They're probably coming to renew the peace treaty they've had with Berk for the past couple of decades. Their chief is Oswald the Agreeable, and believe me, he didn't come by that name by accident." She put a hand on Hiccup's shoulder. "I know, I had the same reaction when I first met the Berserkers. But despite the name, they're not a bad crowd. They come here every five years or so to renew the treaty, they stay for a few days, and then they leave. No big deal." She jerked her head back toward the house. "Come on, let's go get ready to greet them. We can bring Melody along: Oswald loves kids."

Hiccup allowed himself to smile. If his wife knew these people, that was good enough for him to relax. "All right." Then, almost as an afterthought, he added, "And the dragons?"

"Not a problem," Astrid replied. "Oswald thinks they're magnificent creatures and would never dream of hurting them. And I'm sure he'd be delighted to see a Night Fury."

So they headed back into the house to hurriedly put on their chief and chieftainess finery, dressing Melody in a pretty blue dress the same color as the sky. Then, daughter and dragon in tow, they headed down to the docks to greet the visitors.

"I didn't know the Berserkers were coming today," Gobber remarked as they passed the forge on their way. "Strange. Oswald usually sends a letter in advance telling us he's coming."

Astrid shrugged. "Maybe he forgot this time. Or else the letter got lost somewhere in transit. It happens."

Soon they had all reached the harbor, just in time for the first boat of the armada to arrive. "He sure didn't pack light," Gobber muttered, but no one replied.

A Berserker soldier shoved a plank off the rail, connecting the boat to the pier. He cleared his throat and announced to the crowd, "Presenting the High Chief of the Berserker Tribe, Cracker of Skulls, Slayer of Beasts, the Great and Fearsome…!"

"Oswald the Agreeable?" Gobber inquired, sounding bemused. Hiccup also found the introduction more than a little contradictory.

But their confusion cleared when the soldier finished, "…Dagur the Deranged!"

There was a stunned silence as the soldier stepped aside, revealing a skinny young man only a few years older than Hiccup. He had a fierce demeanor, from the tip of his helmet with its foot-long horns to the soles of his thick boots stained with what might have been blood. He grinned at the watching crowd, an expression that suggested he enjoyed watching the sufferings of others. He chuckled darkly, his eyebrows coming together to complete his savage appearance.

"Dagur?" Astrid repeated, stunned.

"Deranged?" Hiccup choked, looking over at his wife.

"Uh-oh…" Gobber sighed.

Dagur didn't seem particularly worried by the shocked reaction of the chief and his wife. He stepped onto the plank and sauntered down to the pier, spitting unconcernedly into the ocean. "Ah, Berk!" he said, breathing deeply. "It's been so long."

"Dagur," Astrid said, stepping forward to greet their guest. "Where's your father?"

Dagur looked down at her, raising his eyebrows. "My father has been…retired." Hiccup frowned. He didn't like the way he'd said that. But he remained quiet as Dagur continued, "He lost his taste for blood. I, on the other hand, am _starving_!"

He chuckled, and then his eyes moved over to Hiccup…and then to Toothless, who stood just behind him. Dagur's eyes widened. "A Night Fury!" he breathed. "Well, well…what a surprise…"

"His name is Toothless," Hiccup informed him, hoping to divert the man's attention. The look in the Berserker chief's eyes was quite unsettling. It was like he was planning on eating Toothless for lunch.

His ploy worked: Dagur looked swiftly back to the young chief. "Hmm," he said, eyeing Hiccup up and down. "And you are…?"

"Hiccup Haddock," he replied, inclining his head slightly, but never taking his eyes off the man before him. "Chief of Berk."

Dagur blinked. "Oh! Well, so the heiress found a husband after all, huh?" He directed this at Astrid, who flushed slightly but maintained her cool composure. "I was beginning to think you were going to be a spinster for the rest of your life."

Astrid replied quietly, "I'm just full of surprises, aren't I, Dagur?"

Dagur merely hummed in reply and looked back at Hiccup. "I don't believe I've ever seen you before. Where are you from?"

Hiccup barely glanced over at Astrid before answering, "Hyacinth. It's a kingdom pretty far away."

Dagur hummed again, looking bored.

And then his eyes fell on Melody, who was holding on to her father's hand and trying to make herself invisible.

"Well!" he crowed, bending down. Melody shrank into Hiccup's side. "You two got busy, huh?" He chuckled. "And what's your name, dearie?"

"This is our daughter Melody," Hiccup answered for her, bending down to pick her up. Melody hid her face into his shoulder. "She's shy," he added for her benefit.

"Sweet," Dagur remarked. Then he clapped his hands together. "Well then! Let's get on with the treaty, shall we? Where are the guest cabins?"

Both Hiccup and Astrid looked over at Gobber, who caught their pointed glances and nodded almost imperceptibly. "Right this way, Dagur," he said, and he started back up the ramp toward town. With one last look at the chief and his family, his gaze lingering perhaps a second longer on Toothless, Dagur followed, leading a handful of soldiers from the boat in his wake.

Neither Hiccup nor Astrid said anything, but from the worried look they exchanged Hiccup knew his wife was thinking the same thing he was.

They were going to have to be very careful for a few days.

 **A/N: Hope you enjoyed that! More will be coming soon. :)**

 **And for those of you following** _ **Hiccup the Useless**_ **, don't worry, I haven't abandoned it for this story. I'm working on the next chapter, so it will hopefully be up here in a few days. Thanks for your patience!**


	2. Chapter 2: Dangerous Waters

**A/N: Thank you all for your response to the first chapter. I'm glad you liked it. :) Here's the continuation, which will introduce you to the central conflict of the story. Enjoy!**

Chapter Two

Dangerous Waters

"A toast!" Dagur called, standing and lifting his mug into the air. "To death in battle!"

Hiccup flinched. He couldn't possibly make that kind of toast. He'd done everything within his power to keep Berk at peace with the rest of the Archipelago. The thought of death in battle did not appeal to him in the slightest.

It obviously didn't appeal to anyone else on Berk either, for the other villagers who stood up called out things like, "To your father!" and "To Oswald!" Gobber in particular was very vocal in praising Dagur's predecessor.

Dagur huffed and plopped back into his seat. "Fine! Whatever," he whined. Then he cried mockingly, " _To Oswald! To Oswald! To Oswald! Blah blah blah blah blah!_ " He punctuated this by ripping his dagger free from its sheath and stabbing his mutton with enough force to send chunks flying onto Hiccup's plate.

Well, he didn't have much of an appetite anyway.

On his other side, Astrid held Melody in her lap. They shared the same expression of disgust for the Berserker chief's behavior but neither said anything, which was probably for the best. Astrid wasn't exactly known for her patience, and Melody was far too young to be voicing the kind of thoughts her mother was considering.

"Well, on that note," Hiccup said, standing up, "I think my family and I will retire for the night. Please, continue to enjoy your evening." This last part was mostly for Dagur's benefit, for it was obvious that none of the Berkians present were enjoying themselves at all.

"Already?" Dagur inquired, sounding a little disdainful. "It's still so early."

"Life with a small child," Hiccup explained with a small shrug. "And it has been a long, er…exciting day."

It had indeed. They'd taken Dagur and a selection of his soldiers on a tour of the village, which the young chief clearly had not enjoyed. He'd yawned theatrically and made pointed remarks about how nonviolent they all were, especially when he noticed no bloodstains on the weapons in the armory. The peace treaty had been signed, thank Thor, and they'd all sat down to an evening feast in their guests' honor, a feast that Hiccup was anxious to escape. So were his wife and daughter: Melody wasn't even upset that her father was using her as an excuse to depart.

Dagur didn't bother to reply to Hiccup's last statement. He merely continued eating. Somehow managing to conceal their revulsion, the chief and his family left the Great Hall.

"Where do you suppose the rest of the Berserker soldiers will be staying?" Astrid asked as they headed down the stairs toward the village below. "We don't have nearly enough guest cabins for them all. He brought his entire armada, for Thor's sake!"

Hiccup replied, "I heard him discussing that with some of his guards. Apparently he wants those not in the guest cabins to remain on the ships. One soldier asked about a rotation schedule, but I don't think Dagur was keen on the idea."

Astrid frowned. "I wonder why," she mused.

Hiccup shrugged. "I don't think it's possible to understand the motivations of one whose title is 'the Deranged,'" he pointed out.

"You've got a point," Astrid sighed. "Still, it could be worse, I guess. The peace treaty is signed, and they'll be gone in a few days. Then we can all return to our normal lives."

Hiccup hummed in agreement and bent down to pick up Melody, who was tottering along tiredly. The little girl yawned and settled her head on her father's shoulder comfortably. Hiccup couldn't help but smile.

Back home, Hiccup tucked Melody in as Astrid stood watching from the curtain that separated the girl's bedroom from her parents'. "Daddy?" Melody asked. "How long will those people be here?"

"Only a few days, sweetheart," Hiccup answered, reaching up to brush a stray lock of hair from his daughter's face.

"I don't like them," Melody said bluntly, snuggling a little deeper into her bed. "They're…weird."

Hiccup smiled faintly. It was clear that "weird" wasn't quite the word Melody wanted to use, but it was the best she could come up with considering her limited three-year-old vocabulary. "Well, yes, they are a bit strange," he conceded. "But we can't judge them for it, okay? For all we know, they're actually quite nice."

Astrid raised her eyebrows but didn't comment. Melody frowned but said, "I guess…"

Hiccup tried a different approach. "Don't worry about them, Mel," he said softly. "You know your mommy and I will always be right here to keep you safe. And Toothless is pretty good at standing guard, aren't you bud?"

Toothless, hovering just beside Astrid, warbled, and Melody giggled. Glad to see a smile on his daughter's face, Hiccup said, "Now go to sleep, sweetie. Mommy and I are right next door if you need anything." He bent down and kissed her on the forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too, Daddy," Melody replied, and then she yawned and closed her eyes.

"Good night, Melody," Astrid said, stepping forward to address her daughter.

"G'night, Mommy," Melody mumbled. Already sleep was beginning to take its hold on her. "Love you."

Astrid smiled. "I love you too."

Hiccup blew out the candle on Melody's bedside table and led his wife back to their room, drawing the curtain closed behind him.

"She is such a Daddy's Girl," Astrid teased. Hiccup just shrugged and grinned sheepishly. Astrid laughed faintly and then wrapped her arms around her husband, leaning gently into him. He hugged her close, his face nestled in her hair. They stayed like that for several minutes, each unwilling to let the other go.

"Do you really think the Berserkers could be nice?" Astrid asked at length. "I have to admit, Dagur didn't strike me as a particularly nice guy."

Hiccup hummed noncommittally. "I don't know," he replied. "But I do feel a little better now that the treaty's been signed. At least we'll be at peace with them. Thor knows I wouldn't want to go into battle against them."

"Got that right," Astrid remarked, and then she sighed. "But let's not talk about it anymore. Right now I just want to focus on you and you alone."

Hiccup smiled. This was a plan he could get behind.

But before he could say anything, there was the sound of flapping wings, and a high-pitched voice squawked, "Hiccup! There you are!"

They both looked around toward the sound of the voice. There, sitting on the windowsill, was a little green Terrible Terror, his big yellow eyes filled with relief at having located the chief.

"Wodensfang?" Hiccup asked, surprised. "What are you doing here? Is everything all right?"

Wodensfang, a unique dragon with the ability to speak Norse, puffed himself up importantly and announced, "I come with a message from your father. He needs to see you at once. He says it's urgent."

Hiccup blinked. His father? Urgent?

"Should I tell him to meet you at the docks as usual?" Wodensfang asked.

"No!" Hiccup replied sharply, and the little dragon looked taken aback. He quickly went on to explain, "No…we have visitors, and I don't want them to know about my dad or the other merpeople." He paused, considering. Then he nodded and said, "Tell him to meet me at the north beach, on the other side of the island. I'll be there in a few minutes."

Wodensfang nodded and answered, "I'll tell him, Hiccup." And then he took off into the night.

"What in the world does your father want to speak to you about at this time of night?" Astrid wondered aloud.

"I have no idea," Hiccup replied honestly. He hesitated, glancing at the curtain that separated them from their sleeping daughter. Then he said, "Stay here with Melody. Toothless and I will go to the north beach and see what's going on. Hopefully we'll be back soon."

Astrid nodded and reached up to kiss him quickly. "Be safe."

Hiccup allowed himself a crooked grin. "I'm always safe."

Astrid rolled her eyes but didn't comment.

"Come on, bud," Hiccup said, and he led the dragon down the stairs and out into the darkness. He climbed on Toothless' back and together they took off, banking around so that they soared over the forest that covered most of the island. They reached the north beach in no time. Hiccup slid down from the Night Fury's back, peering around at the isolated stretch of sand. "Dad?" he called softly.

There was no answer. Of course, Hiccup figured. It would take Stoick a little longer to swim around the island than it did for Toothless to fly over it. So he slipped his boots off his feet and rolled up his leggings so that he could wade out into the gently crashing waves. He sighed happily as the water rolled over his feet, relishing the sensation of the sea filling in the little spaces between his toes. Toothless crooned, but Hiccup barely heard him. He closed his eyes and turned his face skyward, breathing deeply and taking in the familiar scent of the ocean, a scent that reminded him of home…

"Hiccup."

He opened his eyes and looked around. His heart leapt. Stoick the Vast had surfaced, his great red beard glistening in the moonlight.

"Dad!" Hiccup said, wading out deeper so that they could talk. "Is everything all right? Wodensfang said you had something urgent to tell me about."

"Yes," Stoick replied briskly, all business. "There is a situation back home that I need your help with."

Hiccup felt unease stirring in his gut. "What kind of situation?"

"It's your Aunt Bertha," Stoick said.

Hiccup blinked, surprised. Bertha was his mother's sister, queen of the underwater kingdom of Azure, one of Hyacinth's neighbors. She'd always gotten along splendidly with her brother-in-law Stoick, so he couldn't imagine why she'd be causing problems now. "Aunt Bertha?" he repeated. "What about her?"

Stoick sighed. "Well, you know her feelings about humans, right?"

Hiccup's heart sank. Yes, he did know. Her hatred of the human race was even stronger than Stoick's had once been. She had good reason, he supposed. After all, her sister Valka – Hiccup's mother – had been brutally killed at the hands of a human fisherman when Hiccup was only a child. Bertha had always been quite vocal in her dislike for the creatures and her bewilderment over her nephew's fascination with their world. But still, that didn't answer…

"Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?"

"Lately she's been getting restless," Stoick explained. "She's always been fierce in her hatred for humans, but ever since you joined them she's been getting worse and worse. Son, I fear something in her has snapped. She is threatening to declare war on all humans…and she'll start by obliterating Berk."

Hiccup felt as though all the air had been sucked from his lungs. For a moment he had a hard time taking a breath. Finally he managed to gasp, "War?! On Berk?! But…no! She can't…!"

"I've tried to talk her out of it," Stoick went on, "but she's blinded by her rage, and she won't listen to me. It seems she's determined to wipe humans from existence entirely, and I can't stop her. She has a magic sword, and it's far more powerful than my own hammer. I haven't a hope of beating her down, so we have to try another method. That's where you come in, son."

"Me?" Hiccup asked, still reeling. "What in Thor's name can I do?"

"You can come with me to Azure and talk to Bertha yourself," Stoick replied patiently. "I can turn you back into a merman, and you can try doing what I failed to do. She won't listen to me, but perhaps she'll listen to you. Talk to her, tell her about your life here on land, about how the humans you live with interact with each other and the ocean, about how we have had peace between our two worlds ever since you became a human and joined us together. Who better to give her an idea of how humans really act than a human?"

Hiccup stared at him. "Do you really think that will work?"

"I don't know," Stoick said with complete honesty. "It might not. But I can't think of anything else. If we antagonize her she'll just get defensive, and I can't think of anyone else she may possibly listen to. Son…" He reached out and rested his hand on Hiccup's shoulder. "I really do think you may be our only hope."

Hiccup didn't reply for several seconds. He looked at Stoick, and then he turned to face the island. Toothless gazed back at him impassively, but Hiccup didn't really see him. He was looking in the direction of the village. His people were there. His wife, his daughter, his friends…if what his father said was true, then they were all in terrible danger. And there was no one who could help them.

Except him.

He turned to face Stoick. "Dad…" he said slowly. "Any other time I would agree at once. But…" He hesitated. "Right now we have a tribe visiting for an undetermined amount of time. The Berserkers, led by their chief Dagur the Deranged. I…I don't know what this guy is capable of. He makes me feel uneasy, and I don't like the idea of leaving Astrid and Melody alone while he's here. I don't trust him. If they weren't here I would come back with you, but right now I just don't know if I should…"

Stoick frowned. "I certainly understand your reluctance, son," he answered, though he sounded a little disappointed. "Believe me when I say that I sympathize. Ruling over a group of people, be it a tribe or a kingdom, is never easy. But Hiccup, I would not approach you about this if I didn't think it was absolutely necessary. Bertha's rage has hit a peak, and I don't know how much longer she will wait before attacking this island. And if she does, then you know what will happen, don't you?"

Hiccup's throat felt suddenly tight. Yes, he did know. He didn't need to hear the words spoken. He nodded, and after a brief silence he said, "Just…just let me talk it over with Astrid, okay? We'll talk tonight and I'll come to a decision."

Stoick nodded. "Very well. At what time should I come fetch you should you decide to come with me?"

Hiccup pondered for a moment. "Come back here tomorrow at midday," he said. "If I decide to go, I will bring a ship to this spot. I'll have to depart from Berk's harbor so that my disappearance won't raise any suspicions. Stay in this area and wait for me to arrive. If I decide to stay, I will return with Toothless around the same time to let you know. All right?"

Stoick nodded. "Okay, son. Think it over, talk to your wife. I'll be here tomorrow to know of your course of action." He backed away into deeper waters. Pausing for just a moment, he added, "As much as I want you to come back with me, I know the choice you face is difficult. Just know that I will respect whatever decision you make."

Then he dove beneath the waves and disappeared from view.

Hiccup gazed absently at the spot where his father had vanished for a full five minutes, running over what he'd just heard in his mind. Aunt Bertha. War on humans. Berk in ruins. And to think that just that morning he'd woken up with not a worry or care, gone flying with his daughter…

He turned and made his way back onto the beach. Toothless whined, picking up on his human friend's distress, but the young chief didn't speak to him. He silently mounted and asked the dragon to take flight. As they returned home, Hiccup tried to figure out a way to tell Astrid what he'd just learned. How was he supposed to break the news that everything she'd ever known was in danger of being destroyed?

He hadn't found the answer to that question by the time he traipsed up the stairs a few minutes later, Toothless following along behind him. "Hiccup?" Astrid asked, immediately concerned. She could tell just by his countenance that something was wrong. She stood up and hurried over, taking his face in her hands. "Babe, talk to me. What is it? What did your dad want?"

Hiccup motioned toward the bed, and Astrid led him over to it. He sat heavily and started to tell her what Stoick had explained to him. While he spoke, Astrid's expression changed from worried to bewildered and finally to conflicted.

"This is bad," she remarked when he had finished.

"Bad?" Hiccup repeated, shaking his head. "No, no…'bad' is cleaning up after the twins. This…this is absolutely terrible."

"What do you plan on doing?" Astrid asked.

Hiccup groaned and put his head in his hands. "I don't know!" he cried. "I don't know what I _can_ do! Dad seems to think I can talk Aunt Bertha down but I have no idea how I can possibly do that! I'm probably Public Enemy Number One to her right now! I totally turned my back on my own kind in order to become the thing she hates above all others, and Dad thinks I can _calm her down_?!"

Astrid looked at him pityingly and rubbed his back with her hand. If he noticed the gesture he made no sign of it. "Well, you never know," she said. "Maybe becoming a merman again will appease her?"

Hiccup shrugged. "I honestly don't know if it will or not." Then he looked up at her. "But that's not all to be concerned about. If I do go, then that means I leave you and Melody alone here with Dagur and the Berserkers. And while they might be here peacefully, I'm just not sure I'm willing to take that chance. What if they try something and I'm not here to protect you?"

Astrid frowned. "I'm perfectly capable of defending myself, Hiccup."

Hiccup took her free hand in one of his own. "I know that," he said. "But you're only one person, and Dagur brought along an entire armada. Even if Berk joined you in the fight you'd still be badly outnumbered. And if he got his hands on you…!" He trailed off, as if the mere thought of it was too horrible for words.

"Hiccup, we have no reason to believe the Berserkers will try anything," Astrid pointed out. "They did sign a peace treaty, after all."

"I know, I know," Hiccup sighed. "I just wish that…that there was some way I could do both things at once: go to Azure and talk to Aunt Bertha, and stay here to protect you and Melody…especially Melody…" He shook his head. "She's already nervous around Dagur and the others. She won't have a moment's peace until they…"

He stopped and sat up straighter. His eyes took on an odd gleam. Astrid stiffened: she knew that look. "Hiccup? What is it?"

"What if I took Melody with me?" Hiccup asked, twisting around to look at her. "What if I took Melody to Azure? Then she'd be safe from Dagur should he decide to try anything. And maybe…just maybe, if Aunt Bertha met her great niece she would soften up a bit and choose not to attack Berk…"

"Or your aunt could see her as a human invading her territory and kill her!" Astrid protested. "Hiccup, that's a terrible…!"

"No, Aunt Bertha wouldn't kill her," Hiccup soothed. "And at any rate, she'd be with me and Dad. We'd keep her safe. But I don't think my aunt would hurt a child, no matter where she came from. And besides, she's family. I think she'd be perfectly safe. Believe me, I wouldn't suggest it if I thought for a moment Melody would be in any danger." He cracked a little grin and added, "And Melody's always wanted to see the underwater world. Maybe it's time to show her where her dad comes from."

Astrid didn't look convinced. "Hiccup…I don't know…" She stood up and started pacing. "I agree that you need to go to Azure and talk to your aunt. I think that's best. If you don't, then she may try to destroy us all. But to drag Melody into that…"

Hiccup stood as well and reached out to hold her. "She'd be just as safe here with the Berserkers, Astrid. In fact, she's probably safer under the sea. Don't forget that Dad has that magic hammer, and he'd sooner take off his own fins than see his granddaughter get hurt." He leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. "And as for you, I'll leave Toothless here to keep you safe. I'll ask Gobber to keep an eye on you." And when Astrid showed every sign of interrupting, he quickly went on, "It'll make me feel better. Toothless is a Night Fury, and between him and Stormfly you shouldn't have anything to worry about. And Gobber loves you like a daughter, I'm sure he'd be happy to look out for you while I'm gone."

Astrid couldn't help but roll her eyes. "You're overprotective of me, but fine. I'll go along with all that. And…" She hesitated, and then she sighed. "You're sure Melody will be quite safe in the ocean?"

"Positive," Hiccup replied. "I'd stake my life on it."

Astrid considered it for a moment longer. Then she sighed. "All right. If you're sure she'll be okay, then I guess she would love the chance to get away from the Berserkers and see the underwater world. And I suppose your aunt might call off her plans if she meets her great niece, so there may actually be something to gain from it." She leaned into Hiccup's embrace. "But you realize I'm going to be worried every moment of every day you're gone, right?"

"I know," Hiccup said quietly. "And believe me, I'll be worried about you too. But I think this is the best way to both solve the problem with Aunt Bertha and keep everyone as safe as possible. I don't necessarily like it, but hopefully I'll only be gone a few days, three at the most. I'll be back before you get a chance to miss me."

"Three days?" Astrid repeated, and then she laughed faintly. "Why is it everything you do involves a three-day time span?"

Hiccup chuckled.

 **A/N: So it seems Melody will accompany Hiccup when he returns to the sea. Next chapter! :)**

 **So as you may have noticed, I have a TON of stories in the works right now:** _ **Hiccup the Useless**_ **,** _ **Return to the Sea**_ **, the one-shots, the fairy tales (technically part of the one-shot collection, but still…), the** _ **Undersea Adventures**_ **, the** _ **Untold Stories**_ **, and a new story in the planning stages called** _ **A Life Behind the Veil**_ **. I'm doing my best to update each of them in a timely fashion, but I can only go so fast. Therefore I ask for your continued patience, and thank you so much for bearing with me so far. I will do my best to make it worth the wait.**


	3. Chapter 3: Return to the Sea

**A/N: Yay! Another update! I do have an announcement to make, but it can wait until the end of the chapter. Enjoy!**

Chapter Three

Return to the Sea

Hiccup woke Melody early the next morning. "Daddy?" she mumbled sleepily, looking up at her father with only one eye open.

"Good morning, sweetheart," Hiccup said, smiling. "It's time to wake up. I have something I want to ask you."

Melody groaned and tried to roll over. "It's still so early!" she moaned.

Hiccup chuckled. "This from the girl who woke me up at the crack of dawn to go flying yesterday?" he asked.

"That was different," Melody mumbled.

"Oh really?" Hiccup said with a mischievous little smile. "Well then, if that's the way you feel…I guess I'll have to find some other way to get you up…"

And with that, he dug his fingers into her sides. Melody's eyes sprang open and she squealed shrilly. "Daddy, no! Stop! That tickles!" she cried in between giggles and squeaks. "No…! Don't…! Stop…!"

"Don't stop?" Hiccup repeated teasingly, and then he shrugged. "All right then."

He tickled harder until Melody was positively shrieking with laughter, twisting and writhing all over the bed as she tried unsuccessfully to escape her father's fingers.

After a few minutes of this, Hiccup relented, sitting back and watching with a playful grin as Melody panted, glaring half-heartedly up at him. "No…fair…" she gasped.

Hiccup laughed softly. "Well, now that you're awake, there's something I have to tell you," he said. "Your grandpa came to talk to me last night. There's a problem on the ocean floor that he needs my help with, so I have to leave for a few days."

"You're leaving?" Melody said with a faint whine. "But Daddy—!"

Hiccup held up one hand. "Hang on, I'm not finished." Melody fell silent, and he went on, "I have to go back to Hyacinth, and I was wondering if you wanted to come with me."

Melody blinked, and for a moment she looked as if she thought she'd misheard him. Then she sat bolt-upright and cried, "Really?! I can come too?! I can be turned into a mermaid?!"

Hiccup grinned at her enthusiasm and replied, "Yes, if you want to."

Melody squealed again and threw herself on her father, who rocked backward a little but laughed amusedly. "Yes! Yes! Yes! When can we go? Do I need to pack? What should I bring? How long will we be gone?"

"Easy, sweetheart, slow down," Hiccup chuckled, gently pushing Melody back so that he could look her in the eye. "Merpeople don't wear clothes, so you don't have to worry about that. But you should probably bring a bag anyway. You see, the Berserkers don't know about Hyacinth, so we'll have to pretend we're going away on a trip to another island. It would look weird if we went traveling without any bags, wouldn't it?"

"Uh-huh," Melody replied, nodding. She bounded off the bed and ran to her closet, pulling out a little rucksack. She then grabbed her favorite doll, a plush dragon that Stoick had made for her on her first Snoggletog, and said, "Okay, I'm ready!"

Hiccup smiled and ruffled her hair. "All right, sweetie. But we can't go quite yet. I have to announce our trip to the rest of the tribe, and then we have to say good-bye to Mommy and Toothless."

Melody blinked again, and for the first time her face fell slightly. "Aren't they coming too?"

Hiccup shook his head. "I'm afraid not, little one. They have to stay here while the Berserkers are visiting. It'll just be you and me."

"Oh." Melody looked a little disappointed by this. "Okay."

Hiccup sighed. "I know. I wish they could come too. But with everything that's going on, it's best they stay behind, at least this time." He bent down so that he was eye-level with his daughter and added, "It won't be so bad. We should only be gone a few days. We'll be back before you have time to miss them."

Melody nodded and smiled again. "Okay, Daddy."

Hiccup made the announcement during breakfast in the Great Hall. He phrased it carefully so as not to arouse suspicion, claiming that his father had sent him a letter requesting his assistance back home and that he would be leaving that afternoon and hoped to be back in a few days' time. No one seemed particularly happy at this, and more than a few looked downright worried. Whether it was about their chief and his family or over the fact he was leaving them alone with Dagur and the Berserkers, he couldn't tell.

Later that morning, as the sun shone from almost directly overhead, Hiccup loaded their (mostly empty) bags onto a ship and said good-bye to Astrid and Toothless. As he hugged his wife, she whispered into his ear, "I'll see you on the north beach," and he nodded almost imperceptibly. Then he and Melody boarded the vessel and set sail, heading out into the wide open sea.

This, however, was merely a ruse meant to trick any watching Berserkers into thinking that Berk's chief was indeed leaving the village via ship. Hiccup steered the boat so that it skirted along the shoreline, and about an hour after their departure they were drifting in the waters off the north beach. Stoick was there waiting for them, as were Astrid and Toothless, who landed on the ship.

"You're bringing Melody along?" Stoick asked, sounding uncertain.

Hiccup nodded. "She wants to see the underwater world, and I figured she'd be safer with us than here with the Berserkers. Besides, maybe Aunt Bertha will soften up a bit when she meets her."

Stoick considered this. "A fair point," he conceded. "Very well then. I'll give you a moment to say good-bye before we start the transformation."

Hiccup nodded and turned to face Toothless, who was closest. The Night Fury warbled sadly, and Hiccup reached out to stroke his scaly forehead. "I'm sorry, bud, but I need you to stay here this time."

Toothless crooned, looking forlorn, and Hiccup felt his heart constrict. He knelt down and said, "I know, bud. Believe me, I don't want to leave you behind. But I need you here to keep Astrid safe." He half-glanced at his wife, who was busy hugging her daughter and didn't hear his words. "Protect her, Toothless. Guard her with everything you've got, all right? I'm counting on you. Maybe nothing will happen, and I hope to all the gods I'm just being paranoid, but keep her safe for me, all right?"

Toothless growled in assent. Hiccup smiled sadly and hugged the dragon around the neck. "Thanks, bud. Take care of yourself too. Don't let Dagur get near you."

Toothless snorted as if to say, "That won't be a problem." Hiccup chuckled and drew back, standing up. Then he turned to face Astrid.

There was a beat. Then she threw her arms around him, burying her face in his chest. Hiccup returned the hug, closing his eyes and inhaling the scent of her golden hair. "Please stay safe," he breathed.

"I will," Astrid replied, her voice thick with unshed tears. "And you…you be safe too. Take care of our daughter."

"I promise," Hiccup said, tightening his hold a little. Then he added, "I love you."

"I love you too," his wife murmured in return.

They stayed in their embrace for several seconds before Hiccup gently stepped back. Astrid's beautiful blue eyes were shiny but she determinedly held her emotions in check. She smiled weakly and turned to Melody. "Well, let's get this show on the road," she said with forced lightness. "There is no way I'm missing my daughter's first transformation into a mermaid."

Hiccup chuckled and looked down at Melody, who for the first time looked a little nervous. He grinned and bent down to her level. "I'll go first, okay sweetie?"

Melody nodded, and Hiccup made his way over to the side of the ship, climbing up onto the rail. "I promise, it doesn't hurt a bit," he called back to Melody, who looked perhaps just a little reassured by his words. Then he looked back at Stoick and held his arms out in silent invitation.

Stoick raised his hammer, and the head glowed a bright, vivid blue. Hiccup took a deep breath and leapt from the ship, diving down toward the sea. At the same moment, Stoick waved the hammer, and a beam of light shot from the weapon and engulfed his son just as the water welcomed him back into its embrace.

He could feel the magic going to work at once, the energy moving over and through his body from head to foot. His clothes vanished and his legs sprang together, the bones fusing and joining into a single flexible appendage. His skin began sprouting scales, and his feet flattened and stretched into two perfect, green fins. The whole transformation took all of fifteen seconds, and then it was done.

He was a merman once more.

An excited smile crossed his face as he twisted around, his tail propelling him back up to the surface. His head emerged into the air again and he reached up to brush his wet hair from his face. "All right, Melody," he called. "It's your turn. Do as I did: stand on the rail and then jump. Don't worry, I'm right down here. I won't let anything bad happen."

Melody still looked uneasy, but she did as told, handing her stuffed dragon to Astrid to hold as she clambered atop the rail. Astrid used her free hand to help her, lifting her up and holding her steady. "You okay?" she asked, and Melody nodded mutely.

"Come on, sweetie," Hiccup coaxed gently, holding his arms out. "I've got you. You're gonna be fine, I promise."

Melody nodded stiffly, hesitated for a second later, scrunched her face up, and jumped.

Stoick shot another beam of light at her as she fell, and then she landed in Hiccup's arms. Together they descended beneath the surface as the magic took effect: transforming the little girl into a tiny mermaid with a long coral-pink tail.

Hiccup beamed proudly, and then he laughed when he saw that Melody's eyes were still screwed shut, her cheeks bulging with her last breath of air. "Melody," he said, "it's okay. It worked. Open your eyes and see."

Melody tentatively peeked through her eyelashes and looked down at her new fins. Her eyes widened comically as she observed her tail, staring in awe at the spot where her skin turned into scales. She looked as though she'd stepped into a totally different universe…which, in truth, she pretty much had.

"Uh…Mel?" Hiccup said, a little concerned. "You know you can breathe now, right? Take a breath."

At his suggestion, Melody looked panicked and shook her head vehemently. Her face was starting to turn red with lack of oxygen. Worried, Hiccup looked over at Stoick, who said calmly, "She's fine. She's just not used to being able to breathe underwater. It goes against every instinct she has."

Hiccup nodded and then returned his gaze to his daughter. She was starting to turn blue.

Then he got an idea.

He reached out and started tickling her again.

A stream of bubbles shot from Melody's mouth, accompanied by a startled squeal. Then she inhaled sharply. "Daddy!" she cried, and then she gasped. For a second or two she looked stunned. Then her face broke into the widest smile he'd ever seen her wear. "Oh wow!" she squeaked, and she swam about experimentally, testing out her new fins. "I'm a mermaid! I'm really a mermaid! This is so cool! Whee!"

Hiccup chuckled as she returned to where he drifted, looking happier even than she had last Snoggletog morning. "Come on, little one," he said. "Let's go show your mother."

They rose together to the surface. "Mommy, look at me!" Melody called, flashing her new tail in the air. "I'm a mermaid, Mommy!"

"Yes you are," Astrid replied, chuckling softly. "And the most beautiful mermaid I've ever seen, too."

Melody giggled shrilly and started swimming in circles. Hiccup and Astrid laughed pleasantly, and then their smiles faded as they looked at each other. Hiccup reached up and took her hand in his. "I'll be back soon. I promise," he said quietly.

Astrid looked as if she didn't trust herself to speak, so she merely nodded. Hiccup kissed her knuckles. "I love you."

"I love you too," Astrid managed to choke out. Then she sniffed and drew back, composing herself. She rummaged for a moment in a bag she'd attached to Toothless' saddle and withdrew Hiccup's old brown fur vest. He hadn't worn it in years, not since before he'd married her and received the chief's robe as a symbol of his status in the village. "Here," she said, handing it over to him. "Just…just something to remember home by."

Hiccup's throat felt suddenly tight as he extended one arm and accepted the vest. "Thank you," he said softly as he slid his arms through the holes and pulled the article around his torso. Its fit was a little tighter around the shoulders than he remembered, but it brought him some comfort regardless.

Astrid smiled faintly. "Wow…seeing you with that on…it brings back so many memories…" Then she shook herself mentally and added, "Well, go on. Have fun. And be safe!"

Hiccup nodded. "We will."

"Bye, Mommy!" Melody cried, waving energetically. She was far too enthused with her transformation to be troubled by the separation.

Astrid smiled a little sadly. "Good-bye, Mel. Behave yourself, and do what your daddy and grandpa say, all right?"

"I will!" Melody said.

Stoick inclined his head to his daughter-in-law, who raised her hand in return. Toothless barked out a farewell, to which Hiccup nodded sadly. And with that, the three merpeople turned and struck out for Hyacinth. Hiccup looked back once and waved one final time before he dove under the surface and vanished from view with a last flick of his green tail.

Hiccup and Stoick watched with amusement as Melody exhausted herself by swimming all around them. Hiccup chuckled as she swept over his head, her fins churning the water as they propelled her forward and backward and in every direction imaginable. "She sure has a lot of energy," Stoick remarked.

"You have no idea," Hiccup replied dryly, and Stoick laughed.

As his daughter zoomed overhead for the fifth time, Hiccup stretched out his tail and joined her, spiraling and corkscrewing in her wake. She stared at him and studied his every motion. "This is fun, isn't it?" he asked her, and she nodded emphatically.

"Yeah!" she said, giggling. "I want to stay a mermaid forever!"

He pictured himself telling Astrid that and winced. "Sorry, sweetie," Hiccup replied with a chuckle. "Your mother would kill me."

Melody didn't seem to hear him. She merely laughed and took off again, trying to imitate her father's spin. Hiccup patiently showed her how to adjust her fins and twist her body as she shot forward, and soon she was rolling over and over and over in the water, laughing all the while. "I've created a monster," he observed to his father, who merely guffawed and made no comment.

Before long, they reached a mountain of rock, and upon scaling it they were able to peer down at the kingdom of Hyacinth, which lay sprawled at the base of the valley. In the very center stood the palace, looking just as magnificent and beautiful as the last time Hiccup had seen it. Melody's jaw dropped in shock as she gazed down at the castle, her eyes almost popping from her skull as she took in every fine detail of its structure, from the tips of its spires down to the stones lining the foundation.

"What do you think, sweetheart?" Hiccup asked her, though her answer was written all over her face.

"It's…it's…" She seemed unable to come up with the right words and finally settled for, "It's _beautiful_!"

Hiccup nodded and replied, "Yes, it is."

Melody tore her eyes away from the palace and gazed up at him. "You lived here?" she asked, sounding as if she didn't believe it.

"Yep, I sure did," Hiccup confirmed. "I grew up in that castle there. My room was in that closest tower, see?" He pointed it out to her. "I used to swim all over this kingdom with Toothless. I played games with my friends and my sister. We would have dragon races in that courtyard back there, behind the palace. And…" He half-glanced at his father before continuing, "…sometimes I would sneak away and explore nearby shipwrecks, or a little grotto I'd found in the area, or even the surface."

Stoick huffed, still apparently disgruntled with those particular choices even after four years. But Melody didn't notice. She frowned up at her father and asked, "Why did you leave?"

Hiccup smiled. Astrid had asked him the same thing when he first brought her down here to explore the kingdom, to show her the wonders of the world he'd called home for sixteen years. "Because I fell in love with your mother," he said patiently. "I know you don't understand it now, little one, but someday you will. When you love someone, you'll do anything to be with them, even if it means you have to give up everything you've ever known."

He'd been right when he'd said she wouldn't understand. She merely continued frowning at him, apparently thinking he was crazy for wanting to leave this wonderful, beautiful place. Oh well. Let her think what she wanted. Someday she'd understand. There was no need to worry about that now.

"Come on," he said, holding out his hand. "Let's take a closer look."

Melody beamed happily and nodded, taking his hand and letting him lead her down into the valley, Stoick swimming along behind them.

 _I wonder if that's how I looked when I first saw Berk_ , Hiccup thought as he watched his daughter. She was looking around from wonder to wonder so quickly that he thought it likely her neck would be sore by morning. Her eyes were wide, as if she refused to blink for fear of missing a single detail. Her mouth was spread in a delighted grin, and her entire face seemed to glow with joy, as if she'd entered Valhalla instead of merely an underwater kingdom.

Mermen and mermaids all going about their daily tasks paused to bow to them as they passed, murmuring, "Your Majesties," in respectful tones. Several of them smiled sweetly at Melody as the little mermaid swam by, and more than a few waved kindly to her. She returned their waves shyly, always sticking close to her father, but her bashfulness was far outweighed by her exhilaration as she studied the buildings made of rock and coral, the sea flower beds, the tendrils of seaweed that swayed in the current, the golden mermaid statue in the middle of town square, the dragons snoozing contentedly on the doorsteps of their masters' houses…

Then they reached the palace, and Melody became, if possible, even more ecstatic. She actually squeaked in joy as they passed under the golden archway that stood above the doors, and she started trembling as they swam through the entrance hall. "This is all so cool!" she sighed as they made their way toward the throne room.

They rounded a corner, and then suddenly Hiccup's vision became obscured by thick waves of golden hair.

"Hiccup!" said a shrill female voice, and a pair of arms seized him around the middle and hugged him tight enough to cut off his breathing for a moment.

"Hey, Cami," he gasped, and then he sighed in relief as his sister released him, drawing back to look him in the face. Camicazi, a beautiful mermaid with a long, slender blue tail, gazed at him from head to fin, her sharp eyes picking up on every detail. It had been awhile since she'd seen him in his natural form: Hiccup hadn't visited Hyacinth in years, not since Melody had been a baby. She, along with Hiccup's good friend Fishlegs, had ventured to the surface for visits, but this was the first time in quite a while that she was able to get a good look at how her older brother had changed.

"Wow," she remarked after a moment with a faint laugh. "You sure aren't a talking fishbone anymore, Hiccup. You've grown up."

"So have you, Cami," Hiccup replied, and it was true. She had become a truly stunning creature. He could only imagine what the young mermen thought whenever they caught a glimpse of her. Then Hiccup added teasingly, "You're looking more and more like a queen, little sis."

Camicazi rolled her eyes. "Whatever." Then she pursed her lips and reached up to run her fingers through his hair, pausing over a pair of braids just above his right ear. "What are these?"

"My wife put them there," Hiccup explained with a shrug. "It's a Viking thing."

Camicazi accepted this with a shrug. "If you say so." Then her eyes moved down to Melody, and her face lit up. "Hello there!" she cried, holding out her arms for her niece, who swam into her embrace with a little giggle. "Look at you, Melody! You've grown so much since I last saw you! And you're a mermaid too! How does it feel?"

"It's great, Aunt Cami!" Melody replied, grinning and flipping her fins happily. "I love being a mermaid! This place is so pretty!"

"It sure is," Camicazi agreed. "Far prettier than the village your daddy chiefs over, right?"

"Please don't say that," Hiccup moaned. "I'm already going to have a hard time convincing her to become human again, I don't need you making it harder."

Camicazi laughed, but before she could say anything, another voice cried out, "Hiccup!" and they all looked around to see Fishlegs swimming their way, followed closely by his Gronckle, Meatlug. Before Hiccup could do anything, he was enveloped in yet another bone-crushing hug. He grunted but couldn't do anything more as his old friend said, "Oh it's so good to see you! I was beginning to think you were never going to visit us again!"

"Sorry, Fishlegs," Hiccup gasped as he was finally released, one hand coming up to rub his ribs. He was almost certain he was going to have bruises. "I've been so busy I just haven't had the time."

"And I'm afraid this isn't a social call," Stoick interjected, and everyone turned to look at him. "Hiccup has come here to help me diffuse Queen Bertha's ire."

Camicazi and Fishlegs both suddenly looked uneasy. "I really hope you can," Cami said sincerely, sounding as if she doubted it could happen. "Aunt Bertha's really mad, Hiccup. She visited the kingdom a couple of months ago, and I've never seen her like this. She's…she's almost a different mermaid entirely. It's kind of scary."

Hiccup raised his eyebrows. For Camicazi to admit that something scared her was truly tremendous. The situation must have been even worse than he'd thought.

"We'll do our best," Stoick answered for him, clapping a hand on his son's shoulder. "Hopefully she will see sense. If not…well…" He trailed off. None of them wanted to think of the alternative.

They made no more mention of Bertha that day. Stoick, Camicazi, and Fishlegs led Hiccup and Melody on a tour through the palace, culminating with a grand feast in the dining hall. Melody was uncertain about some of the food choices – she wrinkled her nose at the crab meat wrapped in seaweed – but when Hiccup encouraged her to try it, she found it quite to her liking. They talked and laughed and had a pleasant evening on the whole. Night fell, and they all departed for their bedchambers.

As Fishlegs headed for the doors, however, Hiccup called, "Just a moment, Fishlegs! Could I talk to you for a moment?"

Fishlegs nodded. "Sure, Hiccup. What's on your mind?"

Hiccup glanced over his shoulder. Stoick and Camicazi were both doting on Melody and weren't paying attention to him. He looked back at his friend and said, "Will you do me a huge favor?" When Fishlegs nodded, he went on, "When we go to Azure tomorrow to talk to Aunt Bertha, would you go up to Berk? Just hang out in the area, do some surveillance for me. We have a neighboring tribe visiting, the Berserkers, and I'm a little uneasy about Astrid being there without me. I'm probably just freaking myself out, but it would be a great relief to know that someone was watching over things, someone who could let me know if something happened. Would you do that for me?"

Fishlegs nodded again. "Sure, Hiccup. No problem."

Hiccup smiled and hugged his friend. "Thank you, Fishlegs. I can't tell you how much better that makes me feel." He drew back and added, "Just make sure you stay out of sight. The Berserkers don't know about the merpeople and I think it best if it stays that way."

"Got it," Fishlegs replied, grinning. "Don't worry about a thing, Hiccup. Meatlug and I will be on the alert."

And with that, he departed from the palace.

Stoick led Hiccup and Melody up to where he'd had a room prepared for his granddaughter. "I'll be just down the hall if you need anything," Hiccup said as he tucked her in. "There's nothing to be afraid of, all right? You're safe here. Grandpa's got someone guarding your door, so no one's going to get in here except me, Grandpa, or Aunt Cami." He kissed her on the forehead. "Good night, Melody. Sleep well."

"Good night, Daddy," Melody replied, looking perhaps a little uneasy with her new surroundings. She'd never slept anywhere except her parents' house before in her life and she didn't know what to make of the change. But she closed her eyes obediently and was soon drifting off to sleep.

Stoick then showed Hiccup to his old bedroom. "I've had it kept the same way you had it when you lived here," he said, and there was a wistful note in his voice that made Hiccup feel slightly guilty for a second.

"Thanks, Dad," the prince said, and he paused to give his father a hug. "Good night."

"Good night, son," Stoick returned, and then he swam away.

Hiccup pushed back the seaweed curtain covering his bedroom's doorway and felt a moment of déjà vu. The room was indeed exactly as it had been when he left. It was as if the last four years had never happened. Truth be told, it was a little unsettling. It felt like home, and yet somehow…it didn't.

Then he yawned and decided he was too tired to try figuring these strange emotions out. They could wait until the morning.

 **A/N: Hope you enjoyed that! I had a lot of fun writing it, probably because of all the daddy Hiccup stuff. Would you believe me if I said Melody's role in the story was last-minute? I originally had it planned that she would stay on Berk with Astrid and Toothless while Hiccup alone returned to the sea. I'm glad I changed the plans. She's just too cute to not include her.**

 **Anyway, as for that announcement I mentioned earlier, I recently had a fantastic idea. (Well…** _ **I**_ **think it's fantastic, but I'll let you judge that for yourselves, I guess…) I came up with an idea for another story in this AU. So** _ **Out of the Sea**_ **will officially be a trilogy! I can't give any details yet about the plot for the third and final installment (because, you know, it would kind of spoil the plot of this story…), but I can give you the title:** _ **Bound to the Sea**_ **. I am beyond excited to expand the universe I created with** _ **Out of the Sea**_ **, so you'll probably be seeing more updates on this as well as** _ **Tales from the Sea**_ **in the near future. (Oh yes, one last note on that:** _ **Tales from the Sea**_ **is the new title of** _ **Hiccup's Undersea Adventures**_ **. I changed the name to keep it in the same Sea theme of the titles in the trilogy. So no, it's not a new collection: it's the same one just under a new title. That's all. I hope that hasn't caused any confusion.)**

 **I hope you're enjoying this story! More will hopefully be here soon!**


	4. Chapter 4: Azure

**A/N: Here's another update for you all. And guess what? It's got a song in it! Yay! True, it's a short one, but it's nice to bring some music back into this story, especially since** _ **Out of the Sea**_ **had a song per chapter except for one. I don't think I'll be able to include many more songs in this one, though a few more tidbits may pop up here and there. But I can promise that the third installment of the trilogy,** _ **Bound to the Sea**_ **, will have more music, and all three stories will have some variation of "Part of Your World" included somewhere. (In case you couldn't figure it out, I'm really excited about this. XD)**

 **Anyway, enough of my yammering. Enjoy!**

Chapter Four

Azure

Hiccup woke up in the middle of the night with a jolt that almost sent him toppling from his bed. "No!" he gasped, jerking upright and looking wildly around for the…the _thing_ that had been about to destroy his entire family. But there was nothing, only the dark waters that filled his bedchamber. The seaweed curtain over his door fluttered gently in the current, but otherwise nothing moved.

A dream. It had just been a dream.

He sighed and fell backward, his head hitting his pillow soundlessly. Great Thor, what a nightmare that had been. Seeing the people he loved standing defenseless as the nameless, shapeless creature prepared to devour them while he could do nothing to protect them…

He groaned and ran his hands through his hair distractedly. _It was just a dream_ , he told himself. _A dream brought on by stress, that's all. You're worried about your mission and Astrid, and your fears manifested themselves as a nightmare. That's all it was._

But that didn't stop him from worrying…

"Excuse me, Your Highness?"

He sat up and looked toward the door. A guard was sticking his head in, looking a little uncomfortable, as if he wasn't quite sure what to do. "Yes?" Hiccup asked.

"It's your daughter, Your Highness," the guard said. "She wants to come in."

"Daddy?" he heard Melody call timidly from outside, and he felt his heart clench worriedly. Was something wrong?

"Very well, let her in," Hiccup said, and the guard bowed his head and pulled the curtain back, allowing Melody to slip inside. "Hey, sweetheart," he added to his daughter as she approached his bed. "Are you okay?"

Melody nodded. "Yes. But I can't sleep." She looked down and went on, "I left Mr. Snuggles at home."

Mr. Snuggles was what she'd named her stuffed dragon. And sure enough, Hiccup didn't see it in her arms, nor did he recall seeing it after she'd been turned into a mermaid. He remembered she'd handed it to Astrid before her transformation. She must have been so excited with her new tail that she completely forgot the toy.

"You did?" he said. "I'm sorry, sweetie. Don't worry, I'm sure Mommy will take good care of him."

"I know," Melody replied, still sounding a little saddened by the absence of her stuffed animal. "But I can't sleep without him. Can…can I stay here with you?"

Hiccup sighed and nodded. "Yes, all right, Mel."

She smiled and lowered herself into the bed next to him, snuggling herself against her father's chest. Hiccup smiled fondly. "Comfy?"

"Mm-hmm," Melody answered as Hiccup pulled the sheet up to her chin. "Thanks, Daddy."

Hiccup grinned. "Sleep well, sweetie."

There was silence for a few minutes. Then…

"Daddy?"

"Hmm?"

"Is Aunt Bertha mean?"

Hiccup looked down at her, eyebrows raised. "Mean? No, of course not, Mel."

"It's just…you and Grandpa seem worried that she's gonna do something bad," Melody said, sounding a little uneasy.

Hiccup hummed quietly, trying to figure out how to possibly explain the situation to a three-year-old child, even one of Melody's intelligence. "Well," he murmured, "Aunt Bertha is…well, she's angry, Melody. She doesn't like humans because your grandmother was killed by one a long time ago. So we're going to her to try and show her how not all humans are bad."

"Will…will she like me?" Melody asked faintly.

Hiccup forced himself to smile. _I hope so, sweetheart. I really hope so._ "I'm sure she will, kiddo."

Melody didn't look convinced, but she didn't pursue the subject. Still, Hiccup could sense that she was scared of what lay ahead. So he leaned in close and started to sing quietly, a lullaby his mother had once sung to him:

" _Oh the waves roll low_

 _And the waves roll high_

 _And so it goes_

 _Under a bright blue_

 _Endless sky_

 _Waves try to measure_

 _The days that we treasure_

 _Wave hello_

 _And wave goodbye_ "

As the notes rolled from his throat, Melody relaxed and closed her eyes, snuggling a little closer to her father. By the time he'd finished, she was fast asleep in his arms.

Hiccup, however, stayed awake for hours afterward.

…

Above the surface and several miles away, Astrid also lay awake.

She sat up in her bed, which felt far too large, empty, and cold without Hiccup lying beside her. She didn't consider herself a sentimental woman, but she couldn't deny that she sorely missed her husband. She felt a little silly: after all, he'd only been gone one afternoon. It wasn't like he'd disappeared for months on end or anything. But still, she missed his goofy little smile, the way his eyes would light up when he was amused, the way he called her "milady," the way he would hold her in his arms…she always felt so safe and secure when he held her…

She sighed and turned Melody's little stuffed dragon, Mr. Snuggles, over in her hands. She missed her little girl too. She wondered how she was doing down in the sea. She'd seemed so excited to be a mermaid… She smiled as she remembered her own first trip to Hyacinth, how ecstatic she'd been, how she's swum about, twisting and twirling and spinning about without a care in the world. She had no doubt that Melody was having the time of her life in the ocean.

But soon she would meet Queen Bertha. Hiccup had promised she'd be perfectly safe, but…well, she was a mother, for Thor's sake! How could she not worry?

She was on her feet before she was even aware of what she was doing, Mr. Snuggles still clutched in her hand. Toothless lifted his head and crooned questioningly, but she merely shushed him and headed for the stairs. The Night Fury stood and plodded silently after her. They stole downstairs, taking care to be quiet, for Gobber was sitting in a chair in the den, dead to the world. Astrid tiptoed past him, smiling faintly at the sight of her guardian lying sprawled in his seat, and slipped out the front door and into the night, Hiccup's dragon right on her heels.

She walked down the hill toward the village, glancing sideways at the dark buildings and closed doors, behind which slept her people, people who were no doubt dreaming of pleasant things. How she wished she could just turn her mind off and sleep like they did!

She came to a stop on the cliff overlooking the sea, gazing out at the dark waters below. She inhaled deeply and held Mr. Snuggles to her chest. Her husband and daughter were out there somewhere in the depths, hoping to keep her world safe from a mermaid queen's fury. She hoped and prayed they'd be successful, and that they themselves would be safe too.

"Please," she murmured, "please, let them be safe. Gods, keep them safe…"

Toothless warbled quietly, and Astrid rested a hand on his forehead. She could tell that the Night Fury missed his friend just as much as she did. This separation was going to be hard for both of them. "Don't worry, Toothless," she said, trying to sound optimistic and not doing a great job of it. "I'm sure they'll be back soon."

Toothless merely whined sadly.

So intent were they on their troubled thoughts that they both failed to notice the lights burning on the Berserker ships in the harbor.

…

When he woke his son and granddaughter the next morning, Stoick said that he wished for Hiccup to wear the traditional royal attire. Surprised, Hiccup asked, "Really? Why?"

"It makes a good impression," Stoick explained, holding out a jewel-encrusted crown and a pair of gold wrist cuffs. "I'm hoping that, when Bertha sees you in the royal attire of this kingdom, it will help establish in her mind that you do in fact belong here in this world as well as in the world above." Catching and correctly reading the expression on the prince's face, he quickly added, "I did say both worlds. I'm not suggesting we conceal your true nature. By all means, wear your vest too. We're not trying to hide anything from her."

Hiccup, thinking this a fair compromise, nodded. "All right." Smiling, Stoick reached out and fastened the cuffs around his son's wrists, and then he set the crown atop his wavy auburn hair. The king sighed wistfully as he backed away, taking in the prince's regal image.

"Forgive me," he murmured a little thickly. "It's been so long since I've seen you like this. You look so…so grown up…"

Hiccup smiled softly and rested his hand on his father's shoulder. Stoick shook himself and quickly went on, "Right, well…" He turned to Melody, who was gazing up at her father with wide, awestruck eyes. He chuckled. "Don't worry, I haven't forgotten you, my dear." He pulled another, smaller crown from a bag and presented it to his granddaughter. Melody's eyes went, if possible, even bigger. "You are a princess, after all."

Melody's eyes flicked up to Stoick. "A princess?" she repeated a little breathlessly.

"Yes," Hiccup confirmed, chuckling. "Here, I am a prince, and you are my daughter. That makes you a princess."

Melody's expression of pure joy could have melted ice. She could barely hold still as Stoick slid the crown atop her head. "There," he said. "Now you look like one, too."

Melody's hands went up to the new ornament, running her fingers along the smooth, golden surface. "Thanks, Grandpa!" she cried. She threw herself into his arms, and he laughed. "Thanks so much!"

"You're welcome, my dear," he replied. Then he released her and said, "Well, let's have a little breakfast, and then we'll be on our way."

Within the hour, they were ready to go. Camicazi was put in charge of the kingdom during Stoick's absence, to which Fishlegs joked, "We're all doomed." Cami elbowed him half-playfully in response.

"You'll be fine," Stoick said calmly. "I have every confidence in you."

Camicazi didn't look so sure, but she smiled and said, "Thanks, Daddy. I'll do my best."

"That's all I could ever ask of you," Stoick replied.

And then they were off, beginning the half-day journey that would take them to the kingdom of Azure, a journey that Hiccup hoped would end in peaceful reunion.

Clearly the novelty of being a mermaid – and not just a mermaid, but a mermaid princess – had not worn off for Melody. She spent the entire morning spinning, twisting, corkscrewing, and looping about, testing the limitations of her fins. Hiccup and Stoick watched her with amused smiles on their faces. The trip could certainly not be called boring in any regard: Melody was providing all the entertainment they needed. Hiccup kept a close eye on her, but he needn't have worried. Melody was a cautious child, even when so excited she couldn't stay still. She never strayed too far away from her father and grandfather and continued to glance over at them, as if to ensure they were indeed still nearby.

They paused briefly for a small lunch before continuing on their swim. By now even Melody was starting to tire, and she swam contentedly beside her father. "How much farther?" she asked at one point.

"Not too much, sweetheart," Hiccup replied. "We've probably got another hour or so before we get there."

His guess was quite accurate. Almost exactly an hour later, they arrived on the borders of Azure. "Here we are," Stoick announced as they came to a stop, drifting atop a knoll that looked down into the kingdom which lay sprawled below. "Welcome to Azure, Melody."

"Wow," Melody sighed, though in truth she wasn't quite as awed as she had been the previous day upon her arrival to Hyacinth. There was something…off about Azure, and she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was. It wasn't that the palace, which she could see standing in the center of the village, was less grand than her grandfather's (which it was), or that there seemed to be less merpeople out and about (which there were). It was something else, not something she could see with her eyes. It was more of a sensation, an instinct. Even at her tender age, she could feel that the kingdom lying below was not as happy and carefree as the one she'd left behind that morning. There was something wrong, and she had a funny feeling that it had something to do with the reason they were visiting in the first place.

"Come on," Hiccup said. "To the palace."

The words were scarcely out of his mouth when two armed guards appeared out of nowhere, holding spears in their hands, points directed at the three newcomers. Hiccup yelped and backpedaled quickly. "Halt!" the guards barked in unison, and the one on the left went on, "State your names and business."

"Whoa," Hiccup remarked under his breath. "Aunt Bertha sure beefed up security since I last visited…"

Stoick pretended not to hear his son's words. "I am King Stoick the Vast of Hyacinth. And this is my son, Prince Hiccup, and my granddaughter, Princess Melody. We have come to visit my sister-in-law and the prince's aunt, Queen Bertha."

The guards exchanged quick glances. Their faces remained blank, so it was impossible to tell what they thought of this information. "Have you arranged this meeting beforehand?" the second asked.

"No," Stoick replied, frowning a little impatiently. "I wasn't aware I needed to make an appointment to visit my sister-in-law."

The guards shared another glance, and then they nodded. "Very well," said the first. "Come with us. We shall escort you to the palace."

They turned around, and the first guard swam ahead while the second motioned for the visitors to follow before bringing up the rear. "This is quite the welcome," Hiccup muttered, and Stoick snorted in agreement. They were being treated like commoners, or worse, criminals, something the Sea King was not accustomed to and did not much appreciate.

Melody clutched Hiccup's hand and asked tremulously, "Daddy? Are we in trouble?"

Hiccup hesitated for the briefest of moments before replying, "I don't think so, sweetie. They're…they're just being cautious, that's all."

Melody didn't look convinced, and it was no surprise: he couldn't even convince himself.

The guards led them up to the castle, pausing long enough to inform another pair of armed mermen of who they were and why there were there. They were then handed over to the second pair and taken further into the palace. "Wait here," one of them said sternly as they entered a large parlor. "I will inform the queen of your arrival." And then he was gone.

Hiccup and Stoick exchanged nervous glances, and it was clear that they were thinking along the same lines. Neither had been really sure of what kind of reception they would receive, but this…this was downright ominous. For the first time Hiccup wondered if perhaps Astrid had been right and Melody wasn't as safe as he'd first thought. Would Bertha allow them to plead their case at all, or would she set her eyes on them long enough to declare them traitors and imprison them for treason?

 _Exactly how do you think I can talk her down?_ he asked his father silently, not daring to actually voice his worry aloud in front of his daughter. She looked alarmed enough as it was. _Aunt Bertha is clearly far more stirred up than I imagined. You don't post guards like that unless you're preparing for something big and expect trouble…trouble like us…_

The guard returned and called stiffly, "Presenting Her Royal Highness, Queen Bertha the Beautiful of Azure, and her daughter, Princess Heather."

The words were scarcely out of his mouth when two mermaids appeared in the doorway and swam into the room. The first, Queen Bertha, was a big-bosomed woman with long hair that had once been black as pitch but was now streaked with silver. Her tail shone with golden-bronze scales that seemed to glow, and she carried in one hand a massive sword that emitted a faint white light. It was her magic sword, a weapon of great destructive power. If she chose to use that against them…

For a moment Queen Bertha observed her visitors with a neutral expression. Stoick, Hiccup, and Melody gazed back, each unconsciously holding his or her breath as they waited for their judgment to be handed down.

And then Bertha's face broke into a wide smile, and throwing her arms wide she cried, "Stoick, my dearest brother! How good to see you again!" Setting her sword aside, she swam forward and enfolded Stoick in a surprisingly firm hug. She clearly had quite a bit of strength in her arms, judging from the way the Sea King's eyes bulged for a moment.

"Bertha!" he croaked. "You're looking quite well."

Bertha drew back and turned to face Hiccup. She blinked in surprise. And then she boomed, "Hiccup, my favorite nephew!"

"I'm your _only_ nephew," Hiccup pointed out with a chuckle. It was an old game between them, an exchange they repeated every time they met. It made Hiccup's heart relax to hear it again. Perhaps things wouldn't be as problematic as he'd feared.

"Exactly!" Bertha chortled. "So that makes you my favorite by default!"

Hiccup chose not to mention that by this logic, it also made him her least favorite. He merely laughed with her and said, "It's so good to see you again. It's been a long time."

"Indeed it has," Bertha agreed, and her smile slipped a little. "It's hard to get a visit from your nephew when he exchanges his fins for feet."

Ah. Right. There was the trouble he'd been afraid of.

The thought had barely crossed his mind when Bertha looked down at the fur vest wrapped around his torso. She frowned and fingered the fabric. "What is this?"

Steeling himself, Hiccup replied, "A gift from my wife."

Bertha looked up at him, and her face was rather expressionless when she said, "How sweet." Hiccup said nothing in reply, bracing himself for Thor only knew what.

But to his surprise, her smile returned at once as she went on, "I'm so glad to have you here in my palace once again, my dear boy. It has indeed been a long time. Far too long."

Hiccup grinned in relief.

And then Bertha's eyes fell on Melody, who was watching her with wide, nervous eyes. The queen gazed at her for a moment, apparently wondering if there was another relative that she'd forgotten. "Who is this pretty thing?" she asked.

Hiccup replied, "This is my daughter Melody."

Bertha inhaled sharply, and then she positively squealed with delight, "Your daughter?! Oh how wonderful! I didn't know I had a great-niece! Shame on you both for keeping this information from me!" she playfully scolded the two mermen. Then to Melody she said, "Hello there, Melody. I'm your Great Aunt Bertha. You are such a pretty little mermaid!"

"Thank you," Melody said shyly. Then she added with a note of pride, "I'm a princess too!"

Everyone chuckled. "Indeed you are," Bertha confirmed. "And the most beautiful little princess I've ever seen!"

Melody glowed under her praise, looking up at Hiccup. _Why were we afraid of this woman?_ her eyes seemed to ask him. _She's great!_

Yes, Hiccup mused. Bertha was surprisingly warm toward them. Far warmer than he'd anticipated. But he wondered how long that would last. Surely once the subject of the impending war was brought up, the water temperature would start to drop…

At this point Heather, who had been hanging back respectfully throughout all this, swam forward. "Hello Uncle Stoick," she said sweetly, bowing to the visiting king. Then she smiled at Hiccup and added, "And hello, cousin. I've missed you."

Hiccup grinned and answered, "I've missed you too, Heather. You look beautiful."

And indeed she did: her hair was as black as her mother's had once been, thick and lovely, drifting about her face like a wavy halo. Her eyes were green and soft with compassion, her face thin and angular. Her tail was covered in red scales, ending in dainty fins of the same vivid color. She had grown into a lovely young woman, a far cry from the awkward yet still pretty girl Hiccup remembered.

Heather blushed at her cousin's compliment and replied, "Thank you." Then she too turned to greet Melody, welcoming the little mermaid to Azure and promising that they would be the best of friends.

"Come, come," Bertha said, gesturing for everyone to follow her. "You must be tired from your journey. I'll have a servant show you to your rooms so you can rest and freshen up a bit before dinner."

She led them from the parlor and into a wide stone corridor. "Herman," she called, and at once one of her guards appeared at her elbow. "Please show our guests to their rooms."

Herman bowed and replied, "Yes, Your Highness." He then did as told, leading Stoick, Hiccup, and Melody up the hall toward a spiral pathway that led to one of the castle's towers. Here there were three bedchambers that had been hastily prepared for them, though the moment Herman was out of earshot, Melody asked Hiccup, "Can I stay with you?"

Smiling faintly, Hiccup said, "Of course, sweetheart."

They all entered the first room, a large and rather splendid chamber, though it somehow lacked the warmth of the Hyacinth palace. Still, it would be adequate for their visit.

"So…" Stoick said, peering out into the hall to ensure that they were indeed alone. "An interesting first impression, I must say."

"Quite," Hiccup agreed, nodding. "With all the guards and stiffness of the place, I half-expected to be thrown into the dungeons the moment Aunt Bertha saw us."

"I was thinking the same thing," Stoick agreed. "I wasn't expecting Bertha to be so…welcoming."

Hiccup knew that tone of voice. He frowned. "Do you think she's putting up a front?"

Stoick hummed. "I don't know. She seemed genuinely pleased to see us. Or, more accurately, to see you. She was quite glad to find that you'd returned to the sea. And you were right: Melody certainly charmed the scales off her tail." He chuckled and ruffled Melody's hair fondly. The little girl giggled.

"But you don't think that we were all overreacting, do you?" Hiccup asked, feeling as though he already knew the answer. "You still think we have a tough chore ahead of us."

"Yes, I do," Stoick replied. "Despite our warm welcome, I suspect the moment humans are brought up, Bertha will go from kind hostess to rampaging warrior. This sudden change is a bit disarming, but I don't think we should relax our guard. We need to remember that she has threatened war, and judging by all the sentinels and tightened security, I'd say she means it."

"Yes," Hiccup said quietly, nodding. "I thought as much myself." He considered for a moment before adding, "I think it would be wise not to bring up our intentions tonight at dinner. Let's keep the mood light and cheerful, as if we were here on a normal visit to see our family. We'll hold off on talk of humans and war until tomorrow, when Aunt Bertha's had some time to get used to having us here. She may be a bit easier to talk to by then."

Stoick nodded, and his eyes shone with pride. "A wise choice, my son." He then clapped his hands together. "Right. Well, I will go and 'freshen up,' as Bertha put it. And," he added, smiling fondly down at his granddaughter, "I think a nap is in order for you."

"But I'm not tired!" Melody protested, and immediately contradicted herself by yawning.

Hiccup laughed. "Come on, kiddo," he said, leading her over to the bed. "It's been a long day, and it's not even suppertime yet. We don't want you falling asleep at the dinner table, now do we?"

Melody finally relented and settled down to sleep. She was out like a light in seconds.

Dinnertime came, and as promised Hiccup made no mention of his reason for visiting, making it sound as though he was merely here because he'd missed his family. He felt a little guilty about the deception, but it was for the best. And at any rate, it wasn't really a lie: he had missed his aunt and cousin, and it was genuinely pleasing to be having a meal with them again, talking and laughing as if the past four years had never happened. Melody, usually so shy around strangers, warmed up to Bertha and Heather quickly, and soon they were all giggling and chatting about whatever mermaids talked about. (Hiccup still didn't exactly know what that was, only that it was not intended for his ears.)

The only potentially awkward moment came when Bertha asked, "How long do you plan on staying with us?"

The answer that sprang to Hiccup's mind was, _As long as it takes to convince you not to declare war on Berk._ But, sensing that this was not the best thing to say, he said, "A few days. To be honest, we didn't decide on a time limit, so I suppose we're your guests until you decide we've overstayed our welcome."

Bertha beamed. "Splendid!" she cried, and she sounded so genuinely pleased that, not for the first time, Hiccup wondered if they'd all somehow gotten their information about her and the impending war wrong. "You are all welcome to stay for as long as you wish!" Then she clapped her hands excitedly and turned to her daughter. "Heather, why don't you show them around the kingdom tomorrow? A lot has changed since they were last here, and I'm sure Melody would just love to see the gardens."

"Certainly," Heather replied, looking over at the others. "If that pleases you."

Hiccup nodded. "That would be great, thank you."

"Good, then it's settled," Bertha sighed. And not long afterward, she excused herself from the table, saying, "Please make yourselves quite comfortable. As long as you're here, consider this castle your home." Then she bowed and left the room.

 _Well_ , Hiccup thought as the queen departed, _this day has certainly gone better than expected._ And then, almost immediately on the tail of that thought, he wondered, _But why do I have the feeling it's not going to last…?_

 **A/N: The song is from Disney's** _ **The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning**_ **, a direct-to-video prequel to** _ **The Little Mermaid**_ **.**

 **Also! I have a new story idea. (I can hear the collective groan coming from all of you, punctuated with a few "Another one?!"s…) It's a fairy tale, and the working title is** _ **The Servant and the Heir**_ **. (This title may change if I can come up with a better one.) Here's the synopsis:** **Hiccup Haddock is a hero and the heir of Berk. Astrid Hofferson is but an orphan and a lowly servant girl. Yet their forbidden friendship soon blossoms into a romance straight out of a fairy tale. But with magic spells, a mermaid, a witch, and a festival to contend with, they will have to fight much more than social boundaries if they want to find their happily ever after. I won't be starting on it for a while, probably not until I'm finished with the Sea Trilogy. But I've already got a plot and outline ready and I'm pretty excited about it. :) Your thoughts?**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. The next will hopefully be up soon.**


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